St. John's University Athletics
Adrian Nowak Named BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week; Ryan Ormond Garners Freshman of the Week Honors
2/10/2025 2:00:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Brian Kelly was also tabbed to the conference’s weekly honor roll
NEW YORK – Following the St. John's lacrosse team's 15-14 season-opening win against NJIT on Saturday, three members of the squad earned BIG EAST Weekly Awards, the conference announced on Monday.
Adrian Nowak's 10 points garnered him BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors, while Ryan Ormond was tabbed as the BIG EAST Freshman of the Week following his six-goal performance. Brian Kelly was named to the conference's weekly honor roll with his six points against the Highlanders.
Nowak had a performance for the record books in Newark on Saturday to earn Player of the Week for the first time in his career, tying the program's single-game assist record since reinstatement (2005) with seven helpers. The first-year captain added three goals of his own and either found the back of the net or assisted on the Red Storm's final five scores in its come-from-behind victory. The 10 points and seven assists both set career-best marks for the redshirt sophomore.
This is Nowak's second BIG EAST honor of his career, having previously earned a place on the honor roll following a five-goal performance in the Johnnies' win over Queens on Feb. 28, 2024. The Wantagh, N.Y., product becomes the 13th Red Storm player to earn Offensive Player of the Week and the first since Kelly on April 1, 2024.
Ormond started his St. John's career with a bang, scoring six goals in his first-ever collegiate game on Saturday to run away with the conference's Freshman of the Week honor. The Waxhaw, N.C., native becomes the first St. John's player to earn the distinction since Kaden Quirk on March 21, 2022. Three of Ormond's tallies against NJIT came on an assist by Nowak, as the freshman became the only Johnnie since reinstatement to score six goals in the team's first game of the season.
The freshman also becomes the first player since Jonathan Huber in 2022 to find the back of the net six times in one game.
Kelly's lone score of his one-goal, five-assist performance on Saturday gave the Johnnies a 15-14 lead they would never relinquish with 3:25 remaining in the fourth quarter. Saturday was Kelly's fourth six-point outing of his career and the first since Feb. 13, 2024, against Hofstra. The Red Hook, N.Y., native now has 142 career points, passing Mike Madsen for sixth place on the program's all-time points list.
Kelly has now earned a spot on the honor roll three times in his career to go along with a Player of the Week honor last season and a Freshman of the Week nod in 2022.
The Johnnies will look to start 2-0 on Saturday when they travel to Newark, Del., to take on No. 18 Delaware. Faceoff from Delaware Stadium is set for 12 p.m. on FloSports.
